Another hiccup in the Chelsea takeover has emerged after the club reportedly informed HMRC and the Football Association of a tax issue from before the £4.25billion sale last month.
The west London club’s new owners, led by Todd Boehly, had withheld over £100million from the takeover price in case of any ‘unforeseen liabilities’ from the Roman Abramovich era were inherited.
However, The Times are reporting that Chelsea’s new owners have identified ‘an area of concern’ in relation to the club’s tax affairs while looking over their purchase of the Premier League side.
The report goes on to claim that the issue is said to be related to withheld money. However, any money potentially owed to the club would only make a small dent in the £100m withheld by Boehly.
The Times are reporting that the FA are monitoring the situation.
Boehly and his consortium withheld the £100m as a contingency due to the fact of how fast the deal needed to be concluded as a result of Abramovich being sanctioned.
Chelsea have reportedly informed HMRC and the FA of a tax issue from before the takeover
A Chelsea spokesperson stated earlier this week that it was ‘not unusual in these types of transactions, particularly deals completed in an accelerated time frame, to withhold an amount related to any unforeseen liabilities that may arise from transactions that occurred prior to the sale’.
As a result of Boehly coming in, Sportsmail exclusively revealed on Tuesday that Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia are set to lose out on millions in bonus payments following their departures from Chelsea.
A significant part of the £50million package agreed with Boehly for their work on the sale was tied to them continuing at Stamford Bridge after the takeover, and will therefore not be paid in full.
Buck and Granovskaia will still receive millions in transaction fees from the new ownership, but the speed of their departures from the club this week has taken many by surprise.
The new owners, led by Todd Boehly (pictured), have ‘identified an area of concern’ in accounts filed under the Roman Abramovich era
Russian oligarch Abramovich was forced to sell the club following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
During the sale process, Buck made it clear he wanted to remain chairman, while Granovskaia offered to stay in her role running the football side of the business until the end of the transfer window in August.
However, Boehly instead has installed himself as the club’s interim sporting director following the confirmed departure of Granovskaia.
Boehly has been confirmed as the club’s new chairman but will also lead the way on Chelsea’s recruitment as interim sporting director until a permanent replacement is appointed, with manager Thomas Tuchel also handed increased say.
Chelsea will continue to be able to call on Granovskaia until the closure of the summer window.
Boehly and Clearlake Capital appear determined to draw a line under the Roman Abramovich regime, with the three most senior personnel – Buck, Granovskaia and chief executive Guy Laurence – all leaving the club.
